REHS performs quarterly inspections of all radioactive material locations and provides a copy of the inspection results to the PI.  This document explains the inspection checklist used by REHS

Items marked with an X for “unsatisfactory” should be corrected immediately.  Should you receive a Notice of Violation (NOV) as a result of an inspection, you are required to respond in writing.

SECURITY:  All radioactive materials (RAM) must be secured.  At Rutgers this can be accomplished by locking the lab, locking the refrigerator or freezer where RAM is stored, storing RAM in a lock box, or by challenging any one who walks into the lab.  At UMDNJ security shall be accomplished by locking stock RAM (using a lockbox or installing a lock on the refrigerator, freezer) when it is not in use or under direct surveillance, locking labs that store RAM or waste when they are unattended and by challenging anyone who walks into the lab.

LABELS:  All doors into radioactive use labs must be posted with the radioactive warning symbol.   Similarly, all equipment, hoods, refrigerator/freezers, instruments, etc. used for radioactive experiments should be labeled with radioactive tape or stickers.  Any liquid scintillation counters or gas chromatographs that contain a radioactive source should possess a REHS label noting the isotope.

POSTERS:  REHS will check for the presence of the four required postings in the lab and replace any that are missing, torn, or out of date.

MONTHLY WIPES:  All labs must perform a wipe test for contamination in any month that radioisotopes are used.  All wipes must be expressed units of dpm, not cpm.  The counter printout sheet should be filed with the monthly wipes.  A detailed map of the wipe area should be present.  Areas of contamination greater than 100 dpm above background must be cleaned, re-wiped, and documented in the monthly wipe book.

MDA / EFFICIENCY:  Calculations of Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) and efficiency must be performed and documented monthly.  MDA should be less than 100 dpm.  An excel spreadsheet that will auto-calculate these numbers for you can be downloaded from our web site.

DAILY SURVEYS:  A personal survey and a survey of the work area should be performed with a survey meter after every use of radioactive material and documented a minimum of once per day each day that RAM is used.  Hands, shoes, clothing etc., shall be surveyed for contamination.  A work area survey should include floors, equipment used, and the regular trash container.

APPROPRIATE SURVEY METER:  Survey meters are evaluated to make sure the survey instrument owned by the lab is appropriate for the radioisotopes used (i.e. a pancake GM or NaI probe).

METER OPERATIONAL:  REHS will verify that the survey meter used for daily surveys is in working order and that it responds to a known source of radiation.  Verify the meter has been checked by REHS for efficiency in the past year.

PACKAGING AND LEAD DISPOSAL:  After RAM is delivered, the packaging and inner vials should be checked for contamination (posted our web site is the SOP for lab package receipt).  Before boxes are put in regular trash, any radioactive symbols should be defaced.  Lead should be wipe tested and meter surveyed for contamination.  For disposal of lead, please see our web site for more information.

WASTE LABELED:  All radioactive waste containers must be labeled with a radioactive sticker and must have a yellow waste card associated with them indicating the isotope and approximate activity.  Temporary waste containers should be labeled with a radioactive sticker and either emptied at the end of the day or have a yellow waste card associated with it.  If the lab supplies their own containers, appropriate containers must be utilized.

PROPER SEGREGATION:  Radioactive waste must be segregated according to isotope half-life.  Drain disposal of liquid radioactive waste is prohibited.

SECONDARY CONTAINMENT:  All liquid radioactive waste containers must be placed in secondary containers capable of containing the volume of radioactive liquid in the event of a leak.  Proper storage of the container with the lid tightly closed is important.

EAT / DRINK / SMOKE:  Eating, drinking, smoking or applying cosmetics in the labs are prohibited.  Food shall not be stored in RAM labs.  Evidence of food consumption, such as food wrappers in trash cans, will result in a NOV.

DOSIMETERS WORN:  If issued, radiation badges must be properly worn when working with radioactive materials.  Badges must not be lent to others or stored near sources of radiation.

PPE UTILIZED:  Personnel protective equipment must be worn when handling RAM.  This includes double gloves, buttoned lab coats and safety glasses.  Shorts and open toe shoes should not be worn when handling RAM.  Shielding should be used if necessary.

Contacts